Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

NEOSTOICISM AND THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 107himself up to fate. . . . Follow God, but what madness is it rather to be dragged by him than to followhim. . . . Whatever has by the constitution of theuniverse to be suffered, receive with a great mindTo this oath we are enrolled, to bear the condition;dying things. . . . We are born in a kingdombey God is freedom. ... I do not obey butassent to God. I follow him cordially, not becauseit is necessary." And Epictetus: " Dare to look upto God and say, ' Use me for the future for what thouwilt. I am of the same mind with thee. I amthine. I repine at none of thy decrees. Lead wherethou wilt.' " " This is the way which leads to liberty :this alone is escape from servitude." And MarcusAurelius: " To the reasonable living being alone isgiven to follow voluntarily events: to follow themsimply is a necessity for all."1In all this, nowhere does the expression come nearerthe Christian, and nowhere is the sentiment reallygreater distance. What is this god, or fate, or natuor providence, or eternal law, or common reason ?Zeller will reply for us. " Man is considered merelyas an instrument of the universal law. The Stoicmorality leaves him as little freedom of action, inice of duty, as the Stoic physical system leaves himreedom of will over against the course of the worldIt recognises only the general moral obligation ; thight of the particular man to act in accordance withhis peculiar state, and to develop himself, is for it asgood as non-existent." And in this he says that itallowed the intrinsic necessity of the system. " Forf every particular thing in the world is only a sequel1 Seneca, Prorid. v. 4; Vita leata, xv.5; Epist. xcvii. 2; EpictetusDiss. ii. 16, iv. I ; M. Aurelius, x. 28, quoted by Zeller.